Off campus housing costs vs dorm costs

MidwestMom17
Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:14:41 +0000

Our experience (son is a junior) is that off campus is several hundred dollars a year cheaper than the NU dorm. S’s fraternity, where he’s lived this year and sophomore year, including social dues and full meals, is about $500 cheaper than current-year double-room, full meals at Shepard dorm where he lived freshmen year.

Our son lived at the frat last summer without a meal plan and was able to eat out several times a week & cook in (mostly microwaving frozen meals) a lot cheaper than the NU or frat meal plan. He saved a lot on breakfast, especially, just eating cereal.

He’s already signed a lease for next school year with two frat bros to rent a 3-BR small house, two blocks off mid-campus (within NU campus police patrol area) for $2175 a month. That breaks down to $725 month per student, plus estimated $25 for utilities. Meals extra. I was surprised that they’d heard it was best to sign a lease this early (they actually signed in December for a lease starting July 2012), but they’d heard best places go quickly. Parents of all three students had to sign a guaranty for payments on the lease.

Subleasing for the summer is not a problem for them as they plan to stay in the area for summer internships and classes.

Some of S’s friends live this year in a house near Foster & Ridge (further off campus) and reported a girl’s purse stolen while walking (by herself!!) near the house. I figure the closer to campus and NU police, the better.